Many among the FLDS faithful will, no doubt, continue to defend their leader, seeing Jeffs as God’s mouthpiece. They may even view him as a martyr, jailed for his faith.
It remains to be seen whether his brand of polygamy will create a vibrant, global faith or shrink to nothing. Only then might the comparison with Mormonism’s founder be clear.
So the real difference isn't so much in their behavior, but the development of their religions.
I was rather surprised by the tone of the article. Is the Tribune viewed as a gentile, hostile paper in SL?
We hate to seem like we don’t trust every nut with a story, but there’s evidence we can point to, and dance while shouting taunting phrases.
Actually, Beastie, I think that a lot of TBMs subscribe to that logic---i.e., that the LDS Church is more "true" than the FLDS simply because of the LDS Church's growth. In fact, I know that I've seen Simon Belmont make arguments along these lines several times.
"[I]f, while hoping that everybody else will be honest and so forth, I can personally prosper through unethical and immoral acts without being detected and without risk, why should I not?." --Daniel Peterson, 6/4/14
It remains to be seen whether his brand of polygamy will create a vibrant, global faith or shrink to nothing. Only then might the comparison with Mormonism’s founder be clear.
I'm not sure the LDS church could be described as vibrant or technically global, seeing as how there's a whole lotta the globe that isn't open for missionary work.
And it's kinda hard for the FLDS church to shrink further. They have something like 10,000 adherents anyway.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
Is the newspaper/media business so bad in the US that writers have to whore themselves to the inciting of controversy in order to keep people's attention?
Everything I see posted from any US news outlet seems intent to arouse divisive feelings. Maybe that's not representative of all the content, but it seems like it's the only stuff that is passed around.
Maybe it reflects on the maturity level of the local readers?
From what I've read, the FLDS do not engage in any sort of proselytizing, so their numbers would grow from births alone.
I would think that it would disturb Mormons to be told that the only way they can differentiate between Jeffs and Smith is to see what happens to the churches they led.
And, of course, the idea that the growth of any religion is somehow connected to its truth or worth makes little sense in the context of all the religions of the world. According to Mormonism, the only church that God directly leads is the LDS church, and it is still eclipsed by many religions.
We hate to seem like we don’t trust every nut with a story, but there’s evidence we can point to, and dance while shouting taunting phrases.
Doctor Scratch wrote:Actually, Beastie, I think that a lot of TBMs subscribe to that logic---i.e., that the LDS Church is more "true" than the FLDS simply because of the LDS Church's growth. In fact, I know that I've seen Simon Belmont make arguments along these lines several times.
There is no question about it. That is most definitely the "logic" applied. I once heard an LDS apostle claim that David Koresh was clearly inspired by Satan because the government overran his Waco compound and he and his followers died. Good thing that guy wasn't present to pronounce the eulogy for the dead Joseph and Hyrum in old Nauvoo! LOL.
"Petition wasn’t meant to start a witch hunt as I’ve said 6000 times." ~ Hanna Seariac, LDS apologist
quaker wrote:Is the newspaper/media business so bad in the US that writers have to whore themselves to the inciting of controversy in order to keep people's attention?
Everything I see posted from any US news outlet seems intent to arouse divisive feelings. Maybe that's not representative of all the content, but it seems like it's the only stuff that is passed around.
Maybe it reflects on the maturity level of the local readers?
Perhaps you will see a treatment more to your liking when Deseret News provides its comparison of Jeffs with Smith.
(Please don't hold your breath, we would hate to lose you.)
David Hume: "---Mistakes in philosophy are merely ridiculous, those in religion are dangerous."
DrW: "Mistakes in science are learning opportunities and are eventually corrected."
